Sharon seventh graders win national award for autism app

Wednesday

Feb 15, 2017 at 11:49 AMFeb 15, 2017 at 11:49 AM

Paula Vogler/Sharon Advocate Correspondent

In a surprise reveal at a school-wide assembly, Verizon representatives were at Sharon Middle School on Wednesday to announce that a team of five seventh graders from the school had won its national app challenge.

“For states and regionals I kind of had a feeling we’d win but nationals, not even close,” Shah said. “It shows you have the ability to change the world.”

Between the national win and the previous state win, Verizon will give the school $20,000 to use in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) related projects, but more importantly, it will bring the app to life.

“I think it’s great we have the chance to help the community,” Piratla said. “I hope others will be like us and start afterschool clubs with the money the school gets.”

The MIT App Inventor Group will visit the school and work with the kids, who will then head to Orlando in June to the Technology Student Association (TSA) Conference to present their finished app and also have it available in the Google Play store.

The team received citations from both the State Senate and the House of Representatives, had a visit from State Senator James Timilty, D-Walpole, and also received Eclipse 10 tablets.

“I think the whole concept is really cool, how you can build apps to help people,” Nalatwad said

Verizon chose it and seven other apps from 1,800 finalists nationwide, according to Verizon spokesperson Stephanie Lee, who said the app was thoughtful and demonstrated a high level of maturity, thinking and complexity from such young students.

“We were really inspired by their personal mission,” Lee said. “They were thinking beyond their school. These kids will follow their dreams and make a difference.”

The app includes caregiver information, so if a job seeker cannot use the app, a caregiver or guardian or even a teacher can use it for them, job listings for employers to update, personal preferences, and more.

There is a volunteer section where a volunteer can put days and times they are available into the app to be paired with someone who needs help at that time.

Because the Sharon group of students learned some autistic adults are non-verbal, a feature in the app changes words to images so the person could better understand it.

There are also ways for an employer to add tags that could help job seekers know if the job would suit them. One such tag states the noise level of the job, since some on the autism spectrum have a low tolerance for noise.

“What we achieved and worked for the past few months will actually be made with MIT and truly, truly help people with autism find jobs, that’s huge for us,” Bommaraju said.

For Dasari and her parents the app hits close to home. Her 9-year-old brother has autism and was the inspiration for the app.

"I’m really glad the app is going to be made,” Dasari said. “Even if it didn’t win we were going to create the app anyway.”

Her mother, Kezia, was just as excited to see a family challenge turned to an active solution.

“It’s not about winning or fame or recognition,” Kezia said. “I want to see the app made and people use it. When my son grows up he will use it.”

Parents of team members encouraged the other students to work hard toward their dreams as well.

“Your school is here, your teachers are here, your parents are here,” Sandhya Bommaraju said. “You can achieve what you dream. Think of new things; think of something better next year.”

“If they can do it, all of you can do it,” Poorna Piratla said. “They showed the nation what Sharon Middle School is all about. Empower!”

Looking forward to next year, team advisor Errine Silver said she hopes the team’s win will inspire other students.

“I would love to do this again,” Silver said. “I’d love to see other students take the opportunity to create something.”

Principal Kevin O’Rourke said he would like to perhaps use the grant as seed money to help other students do just that.

“I’d like to see how to keep their work inspiring others down the road and keep this opportunity (open) for others,” O’Rourke said.

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